Podcast Summary: Mortgage Marketing Radio

Episode: My Two Words for 2026
Host: Geoff Zimpfer
Date: January 3, 2026

Overview

In this reflective solo episode, host Geoff Zimpfer forgoes traditional New Year’s resolutions in favor of defining his 2026 using two words. Drawing inspiration from the book One Word That Will Change Your Life, Geoff shares why he selected “gratitude” and “delegate” as his guiding principles for the year and encourages listeners to choose their own anchoring word(s). The episode is marked by Geoff’s personal journey—particularly his recent cancer diagnosis—and how these experiences have shaped his approach to business, leadership, and life.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Why “One Word” Works

• Clarity Above Resolutions:
  Geoff explains that having a single word (or two) acts as a grounding filter and focus aid, especially amidst life’s chaos.

  “One word adds clarity. It’s easy to remember. It’s easy to repeat. It becomes like a mantra. As I said, it’s defining, clarifying. It strips away all the noise. It’s easier to live with day to day.”
  (03:44)

• Not About Perfection—It’s About Relevance:
  Sometimes, life circumstances help reveal your word rather than it being a conscious choice.

  “Sometimes you don’t necessarily choose the word. Sometimes the season in life that you’re in kind of reveals the word.”
  (05:40)

Personal Update & Vulnerability

• Health Challenge:
  Geoff opens up about his recent throat cancer diagnosis, openly sharing both the good and bad aspects of the journey. He emphasizes that he’s sharing to illustrate how it’s changed him, not to elicit sympathy.

  “The bad news is I have throat cancer. The good news is it’s treatable. The bad news is the treatment sucks… I’m okay. I’m grateful and I’m very aware that this season has changed me.”
  (07:08)

Geoff’s Two Words for 2026

1. Gratitude

• Geoff explains that his foremost word is “gratitude.” This outlook saturates his personal and professional life, stemming from the outpouring of support he received and renewed spirituality.

  “Gratitude is the filter and the lens through which I’m seeing my life. It’s a gift, right? And so here’s the thing. Gratitude has clarified what’s really mattered. It’s also clarified what doesn’t really matter.”
  (12:39)

• He highlights the impact of reconnecting with his faith due to his diagnosis.

  “This season has brought me back to Scripture, back to daily reading of the Word, back to the reminder that there is purpose and the struggle and pain, back to a relationship with God, with Jesus…this season has brought me to the place where I want to be.”
  (11:03)

2. Delegate

• The second word is “delegate,” reflecting a commitment to focus on what matters and to steward his energy, talents, and time more intentionally.

  “Delegate isn’t about doing less. It’s about doing what only I should be doing. One of my biggest sources of overwhelm over the past year has been getting stuck in the weeds… Delegate is how I steward what’s been given to me by God, my talents and resources.”
  (15:52)

• Geoff underlines the need to stop “majoring in minors” and protect his creative and relational energy.

  “Gratitude shapes how I see life. Delegate shapes how I steward it. One shapes my heart, the other shapes my calendar.”
  (18:21)

Exercise: Choosing Your Own Guiding Word(s)

At (20:08), Geoff walks listeners through a five-question exercise he used to select his words:

1. What am I carrying that no longer fits? What baggage needs to be put down?
2. What do I need to stop, reduce, or no longer tolerate?
3. Where should my best energy go day to day?
4. What do I need more of and less of to succeed sustainably?
5. When things get noisy or difficult, what inner instruction do I want my one word to give me?

He encourages using these prompts for reflective focus and mentions a free resource (a custom GPT tool) to help listeners through the process.

“So I’ve put together this custom GPT which is really easy to use, that walks you through the five simple questions we just went through to help you choose your word, to write a guiding statement, and to help create a yes-no decision filter that you can actually use all year.”
(22:26)

• Resource link mentioned: tinyurl.com/2026word

Operational Application in Business

• Geoff announces a new “Agent Referral Accelerator” cohort for mortgage professionals, tied to his focus on leveraging time and energy, offering structure and repeatable results for building a reliable referral pipeline.

  “In January, when you’re probably listening to this, in the middle of January, I’m going to be opening up a new agent referral accelerator cohort… So if you’ve been listening to this episode and you’re thinking I need more clarity and focus on a system that actually works for getting referrals on demand… see the link in the show notes below.”
  (26:11)

Memorable Quotes

• On Mantras vs. Resolutions:

  “A word helps ground you or pull you forward into the direction, the vision that you see for yourself in the new year.”
  (04:18)

• On Impact of Community:

  “Tremendous amount of gratitude for support I didn’t expect, for conversations, prayers, text and encouragement, and honestly, gratitude for being drawn back in, deeper into my daily relationship with God this season.”
  (10:21)

• On Focus:

  “Delegate is the word for me and how I will protect my creative energy, my relationship energy, my leadership energy, my health and my faith.”
  (16:31)

• On Living Your Word(s):

  “When it’s—the stuff’s hitting the fan, right? Sometimes you can just pause and ask yourself your one word. Am I living my one word?”
  (21:53)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:00 – 03:50: Opening, rejection of resolutions, introduction to the “one word” concept
• 07:08 – 12:39: Personal story: cancer diagnosis, vulnerability, embracing gratitude
• 12:39 – 18:21: Elaboration on “Gratitude” and “Delegate,” lessons learned, application to business/life
• 20:08 – 22:26: Five-question exercise to help listeners select their own one/two words
• 22:26 – 25:48: Introduction of free custom GPT resource for word selection
• 26:11 – 28:38: Announcement of Agent Referral Accelerator cohort (operational example of “delegate”)
• 28:38 – end: Reflections, encouragement, closing gratitude

Conclusion & Call to Action

Geoff concludes by emphasizing that 2026 (and any year) isn’t about loading on more goals, but making clearer choices with real impact. He encourages listeners to try the “one word” exercise, use the free GPT tool, and share their experience. The episode is a blend of practical business advice, personal reflection, and an authentic invitation to find focus and meaning in the year ahead.